Lap-robe for automobiles.



No. 832,878. PATENTED OCT. 2, 1906. 1). HALL.

LAP ROBE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 21m. 1906.

UNIT D STATES DAVID HALL, OF N ORVVOOD,'OHIO.

LAP-ROBE FOR AUTOMOBILES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Oct. 2, 1906.

Application filed February 5,1906. Serial No. 299.493.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID HALL, a citizen of the United States, residingat N orwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Lap-Robes for Automobiles, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lap-robes or storm-aprons, whichare espe-" cially adapted for use in connection with automobiles havinga steering-post in front of the chauifeurs seat.

In automobiles provided with the customary steering-post it hasheretofore been practically impossible to operate the automobilesatisfactorily in cold or inclement weather, due to the difficulty ofkeeping a lap-robe or storm-apron of the ordinary form in an effectiveposition. Inthe majority of modern automobiles there are manycontrolling levers and pedals and same are usually so located andarranged that one must reach beyond the lap-robe with hands or feetin'order to operate them. This movement of the operator or chauffeur inoperating the vehicle disarranges and displaces the ordinary laprobe andrenders it extremely ineffective and practically worthless.

The object of my present invention is to overcome the difficulties aboveenumerated and to produce an effective and efficient laprobe andstorm-apron which is simple and inexpensive. 7

I In carrying my invention into effect I provide a laprobe whichsurrounds the steeringpost and is adapted to cover the controllingpedals and levers in the immediate vicinity of the steering-post, sothat the chauffeur may operate any lever or pedal without disarrangingthe lap-robe or throwing same out of its proper protective position.

The invention further comprises improvements in the details and arranement of my improved lap-robe, which will e hereinafter pointed out, andmore specifically stated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form art of this specification, Ihave illustrated, in Figure 1, a perspective view of part of anautomobile or vehicle with my improved laprobe in position therein, andin Fig. 2 a view of the lap-robe removed from the machine.

In Fig. 1 the automobile or other vehicle is shown at A and is providedwith the custom-, I

ary steering-post B. The steering-post is surrounded by my improvedstorm-apron or lap-robe C, the forward part of the vehicle beingbroken-away to show said apron or robe more clearly. This robe or apronmay be made of any desirable light material for protection against dustanddirt during the summer or dry season, of heavy or heat-insulatingmaterial for protection against the cold during the winter, or ofoil-skin or other waterproof material for protection during stormy orinclement weather.

As will be clearly seen in Fig. 2, the robe is slit at D from the loweredge to a point E at any desired distance from said lower edge. Firmlyfastened at G to the material of the robe adjacent to the split portionD is a flap H, which is provided with clasps K or other means forfastening it tothe material of the robe on the other side of the slit ina manner so that the flap may be readily opened. It

will thus be seen that the robe may be placed in position so as tosurround the steeringpost B, as shown in Fig. 1. edges of the splitportion of the robe together to reduce the size of the slit, the shortstraps N may be employed. These stra s, however, may be omitted, ifdesired. T e straps P are provided for the urpose of attaching the loweredge of the robe to the floor of the vehicle. These straps P are soarranged that the pedals O and other operating-levers on or near thefloor of the vehicle, are not interfered with and are operable .withoutreaching beyond the robe. It will also be seen that the robe may beeasilyplaced in position or removed and that when in position iteffectively protects the lap and lower limbs of the operator withoutinterfering in any way with the operation of the various controllingdevices and without becoming displaced or disarranged by any movement ofthe operator or other occupant of the vehicle. .To further assist inholding the robe in its most'effective position, I provide a strapR,attached to the robe at S and adapted to be connected with thesteering-post at T or at any other convenient oint.

Having t us described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent. of the United States, is

1. A lap-robe for automobiles is slit to permit it passing aroundthesteering-post of the automobile, and a flap for covering said slitportion after'the robe has been placed in position around saidsteering-post. 2. A lap-robe for automobiles which is slit.

To bring the to permit it passing around the steering-post placed inposition around said steering-post, of the automobile, and a flap forcovering and means for adjustably fastening the robe said slit portionafter the robe has been to the steering-post to prevent same from placedin position around said steering-post, dropping down. 5 and means forfastening said robe to the floor In testimony whereof I affix mysignature I 5 of the automobile. I in the presence of two' Witnesses.

3. A lap-robe for automobiles which is slit DAVID HALL. to permit itpassing around the steeiing-post I Witnesses: of the automobile, and aflap for covering CHAS. E. LORD,

to said slit portion after the robe has been, FRED J. KINSEY.

